Andreas (82mhz)

@82mhz@oldbytes.space
433 Followers
205 Following
3.9K Posts

Electrical engineer, musician, out and about on two wheels (bike or Vespa), I read a lot of books (aiming for about one per week, mostly SciFi, biographies, non-fiction), coffee-addict.

I may write about tech, music, retro, books... Currently trying my hands at blogging.

Fed up with the corporate internet, which is what brought me here.

Why 82MHz? Well I was born in 1982, and I studied electrical and telecommunications engineering, so the MHz is a nod to this :)

He/Him

Blog (en)https://82mhz.net
Andreas (82mhz)Jun 19

I found my sister's old phone today. The battery was dead, but when I plugged it in it acutally started up. It initializes to 1/1/2009.

Look at this thing! It's adorable! Why don't phones look like this anymore? Can we have this back?

Andreas (82mhz)May 26
Internet Explorer 5 can view #gopher sites. That's pretty cool, I didn't know that.
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Nov 22, 2024

#eeepc #windowsxp #retrocomputing
The instructions are oddly specific though... "Discharge to 2%, BUT NOT to 0% or bad things will happen!!!"

Ok, I guess I'll sit here and stare at the battery indicator until it reaches 2% and then power it off as fast as I can before it explodes 😄

Andreas (82mhz)Nov 22, 2024

New battery for this little guy 😊

The black looks slightly weird from the back, but since the display bezel is also black, it doesn't actually look out of place when the computer is open.

#eeepc #windowsxp #retrocomputing

Andreas (82mhz)Oct 9, 2024

I'm looking for a very small USB sound interface for a mini PC project. Something like the one in the picture below.

Doesn't have to be fancy, it should literally just be able to output PC audio and not sound completely horrible. But it needs to be small, USB dongle sized.

Any recommendations or personal experiences? There's a ton of them available on Ebay and Amazon, but I imagine they vary quite a bit in terms of quality.

#askfedi #audio

Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Oct 1, 2024
I got it working!
Andreas (82mhz)Oct 1, 2024

Okay, if I apply power to an LCDs inverter board, without any kind of signal being present on the TDMS interface, should the screen's backlight come on? Because it doesn't...

For reference, I'm talking about a 15''' iMac G4 display.

#retrocomputing #imacg4

Andreas (82mhz)Aug 6, 2024

Out of work with lots of free time, it's the perfect opportunity to level up my skill set! 🤓

#retrocomputing #smolweb

Andreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024

Are there any typewriter experts here? I got this little guy the other day, it's a Privileg 300 T from the 70s I guess, judging by the design.

These seem to have been quite common, there's a lot of them on the used market, but I can't find much info about them.

So, does anyone know more about this machine or maybe has a link to a manual?

And in particular, does anyone know what that lever on the left labeled "H - L" does? [Edit: it selects how hard the paper is hit]

[Edit] Lots of great answers, thank you all very much! Have a look through the answers for more info, it seems to be a mechanism made by brother in probably 1974.

#typewriter #schreibmaschine #retrotech

Andreas (82mhz)Jul 12, 2024

Setup for the #oldcomputerchallenge 2024, starting tomorrow:

- Macbook Pro Core2Duo running Windows XP and OSX 10.6.8 as well as a modern minimalistic Linux distro (Crunchbang++)
- iPod
- Discman
- Dumbphone from 2003

If I can get it working right I also have a white Macbook from 2006 that I'd love to play around with, and a Mobile Pentium 3 Laptop from 2001.
Oh, and an iMac from 2001 as well... so yeah, I won't get bored :)

×
Andreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024

Are there any typewriter experts here? I got this little guy the other day, it's a Privileg 300 T from the 70s I guess, judging by the design.

These seem to have been quite common, there's a lot of them on the used market, but I can't find much info about them.

So, does anyone know more about this machine or maybe has a link to a manual?

And in particular, does anyone know what that lever on the left labeled "H - L" does? [Edit: it selects how hard the paper is hit]

[Edit] Lots of great answers, thank you all very much! Have a look through the answers for more info, it seems to be a mechanism made by brother in probably 1974.

#typewriter #schreibmaschine #retrotech

Show threadDarxyanneAug 2, 2024
@82mhz I would look on https://typewriterdatabase.com, looks like there is some info on there. I don’t find that web site the easiest to navigate, but it does have a wealth of information.
The Typewriter Database - Version Epsilon

The "Typewriter Database" is the biggest source of typewriter serial numbers on the Internet today.

Show threadDarxyanneAug 2, 2024
@82mhz and PS it is awfully cute! Love that orange!
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024

@Darxyanne
Me too! They made them in a range of different colors, orange, yellow, green, blue... and it's these typically 70s looking colors. If I had the space I would get one in every color I think ;)

Thanks for the link with the typewriter database! Couldn't find this particular model on there, but like you said the site is confusing, so I have to dig a bit deeper.

I think the mechanism is made by some other company and Privileg just made the case and put their name on it.

Show threadDarxyanneAug 2, 2024
@82mhz yes, it looked like the Brother model to me, there was a nice gallery of a yellow one that includes a shot of the serial number, which I think is the best clue to start with when looking at that database. Do you also know about https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html another wonderful resource
Typewriter Manuals

Show threadTerin StockAug 2, 2024
@82mhz oh, I have a very similar typewriter but made for the American market. The H-L switch adjusts the pressure on keys striking the paper, L for low and H for High.

The manual for mine is https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/RoyalSpriteMercury.pdf
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@terinjokes Thanks! It isn't the same, but it looks like a very similar mechanism to mine. And you're right about the H-L, on mine it makes the keys easier to push with the help of a spring and in turn you can strike the paper harder with the same force on the key.
Show threadmhdAug 2, 2024
@82mhz Can't say anything about the specific example (Privileg did resell a lot of stuff, though), but the H-L is for multi-colored ribbons, where e.g. the top is black and the bottom red.
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@mhd
Thanks! I figured it out, the H-L engages a spring that makes the keys easier to press. There is another lever on the right that selects the colors though.
Show threadDarxyanneAug 2, 2024
@82mhz another PS, just now seeing the question about H/L, and I think that is about pressure that would be used, like if you were doing carbon copies, you would use H, but L just for regular one page typing. But that is me going by memory and not actual info I looked up, so a manual from the second link I shared would be a better way to confirm that.
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@Darxyanne
That's absolutely right, it's how hard the paper is hit.
See the other answers I got, there's a lot of great info in there!
Show threadDarxyanneAug 2, 2024
@82mhz oops I somehow missed seeing all the other replies, and then I went and found this https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/Webster1966.pdf and was coming back to say it is Touch Control. That’s what I get for going by memory haha
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@Darxyanne
Hey no worries, any answer and info is appreciated 😊
Show threadAnyia, complicated 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈Aug 2, 2024

@82mhz I suspect the H-L is a High-Low lever which will control where the strikers impact the ribbon. Mainly used for getting more use out of each ribbon.

Happy to be proven wrong — it's been a *very* long time since I used a typewriter (and it wasn't this model, but it did have a lever which lifted the entire typing mechanism up and down for that purpose).

Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024

@anyia
I actually have to prove you wrong - kind of ;)
There is a lever that does what you said, which changes the point where the ribbon is struck. This lever is on the right side of the machine, because it's possible to use dual-colored ribbons (black and red).

But the H-L on this machine controls how hard you have to push a key for it to hit the paper. So it indirectly controls the strength of the impact.

Show threadAnyia, complicated 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈Aug 2, 2024
@82mhz oooh, interesting! Thank you for the correction! I don't think I've come across that feature before
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@anyia
Me neither. I've now ordered a two colored ribbon, can't wait to try it out :)
Show threadAL mystick princexAug 2, 2024
@82mhz the lever looks like a line height adjustment to me. Gorgeous colour!
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@mystickal
The colour is the main reason I picked this one :)
The lever actually selects how hard the typebar hits the paper. Line height adjustment is on the carriage on the left side, but it's hard to see in the picture.
Cheers!
Show threadAL mystick princexAug 2, 2024
@82mhz run hard on H to piss off the neighbours ✌️
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 2, 2024
@mystickal 😄 will do!
Show threadDavid JONESAug 5, 2024
@82mhz heavy–light touch; how hard you have to press. It's very common in typewriters. I am borrowing a Brother with the same lever. I fiddle with it and it seems to make no difference (internet suggests a mechanism might be broken or stuck).
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 5, 2024
@drj
Yes, it's the touch sensitivity.
I had a look inside the typewriter (it's very easy to take the mechanism out of the case, just a few screws to take out) and there's a spring attached to the lever which takes up some of the force required to push the keys down.
Maybe yours is missing the spring.
The mechanism in my typewriter is made by brother as well, so if you need some pictures to compare, let me know!
Show threadDavid JONESAug 5, 2024
@82mhz I took it out of the case to clean it (extensively!) but for some reason did not investigate this lever. 😂
Show threadAndreas (82mhz)Aug 5, 2024
@drj
Classic... happens to me all the time that I have to take things apart multiple times because I forgot something 😄